1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device and methods for controlled manual or automatic operation of a firearm. In particular, the invention relates to a device and method for manually firing a firearm during specific periods of the heart beat cycle. The instant invention also relates to a device and method for automatically firing a firearm which has been primed for automatic fire. The invention further relates to a device and method for preventing the manual firing of a weapon during specific parts of the heart beat cycle. The invention still further relates to a device and method for preventing automatic firing of a firearm in response to identification of a friendly target.
2. Background of the Related Art
The heart is a muscular organ which undergoes a series of contractions and relaxations during the heart beat cycle. The heart beat cycle can be briefly summarized as consisting of three stages: diastole, atrial systole, and finally ventricular systole, to be followed once more by diastole. The heart of an individual beats more or less perpetually, at varying rates, throughout life. The heart is located in the left side of the thorax. However, the forces associated with the beating heart and the resultant blood flow throughout the vasculature, are of sufficient magnitude that they are responsible for relatively small yet distinct movement of remote parts of the external body surface. Consequently, involuntary movements associated with the beating heart may interfere with certain intricate tasks requiring extremely finely controlled voluntary movement of the fingers or other body parts.
It is well known in the field of rifle shooting, the decathlon, and other firearm related activities that in order to perform consistently as a marksman it is necessary to fire a firearm at a certain point or period during the heart beat cycle. With extensive training, firearm operators may eventually learn to become aware of and ascertain certain stages of their heart beat cycle, and to coordinate discharge of the firearm with such periods for optimum marksmanship. However, this is at best an imprecise technique. The instant invention provides a heart beat cycle indicating device to clearly indicate to an individual using a firearm, with complete accuracy, a given point in the heart beat cycle of that individual. The firearm operator may then consistently discharge the firearm at the optimum point in the heart beat cycle, thereby achieving the most accurate and consistent results.
Many firearms such as rifles currently in use typically include a sighting device, such as telescopic sights mounted on the firearm, in order to assist the operator of the firearm in aiming the weapon at a target. After lengthy periods of peering through a sighting device of a firearm, a certain amount of fatigue and lack of concentration is inevitably experienced by the operator of the firearm, thereby directly relating to decreased performance, e.g. the probability of hitting the target with any one round from the firearm is decreased.
Furthermore, during combat, assault, and hostage rescue operations, etc., it is often required to engage several targets almost simultaneously or within a very short period of time. Fully automatic assault weapons, such as the H&K MP-5, the Ingram MAC-10, and the Israeli Military Industries UZI, provide a high rate of fire necessary for engaging multiple targets under arduous and/or rapidly changing conditions. (By "fully automatic" in this context denotes a weapon which is capable of firing at a high rate (e.g. 600 rounds per minute) while the trigger continues to be pulled. In contrast, a "semi-automatic" weapon requires a separate pull on the trigger for each round fired.) A high rate of fire consumes a proportionately large amount of ammunition. Since there is a practical limitation on the amount of ammunition that can be carried, it would be useful to have a device for use in conjunction with a weapon for increasing the probability of hitting any given target with each round of ammunition, thereby increasing the likelihood of accomplishing a given task, and/or decreasing the amount of ammunition required to accomplish the task. Such a device for increasing the hit probability for each target would greatly enhance the effectiveness of the weapon with which the device was to be used. A device of the type contemplated for increasing hit probability should be effective against multiple rapidly moving targets which are being engaged from a moving target (e.g. a running soldier).
It would also be advantageous for a device for increasing hit probability of a target by a weapon to provide an indication to an operator of the weapon when a target or potential target is critically aligned with the weapon, and to provide for automatic firing of a weapon having been primed for automatic firing in response to a target being in critical alignment with the weapon. It would also be useful to provide a device enabling automatic firing of a firearm, the firearm having been primed for automatic firing and strategically positioned to fire at a target which may move into critical alignment with the weapon.
According to one embodiment of the instant invention, there is provided devices and methods for the automatic firing of a rifle or other weapon in response to detection of a defined electromagnetic signature (e.g. infrared radiation) emitted from a target. Once such a weapon has been primed for use, it may fire automatically (i.e. in the absence of an operator of the weapon) upon alignment with a target.
U.S. Statutory Invention Registration No. H218, to Marshall et al., discloses a marksmanship training system comprising an infrared detector mounted on a rifle or simulated rifle. A positive indication is provided when the rifle is pointed at an infrared emitting target, e.g. a human. A second detector indicates when the trigger of the rifle is pulled. If a trigger pull is detected at a time when an animal-derived infrared signal is present, the system generates an electronic pulse indicating that a target hit has occurred. The pulse may drive a signaling device to inform the marksman that a target hit has occurred. The device of Marshall et al. relies on manual operation of the rifle trigger, and furthermore the time point at which the trigger is pulled is independent of the alignment of the rifle with the infrared emitting target.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,659,494 to Philbrick, et al. discloses a terrestrial telescope including an image motion stabilization system for eliminating motion of an image being viewed from an unstable support. The telescope may be mounted on a rifle, and the rifle aimed at a target such that the cross hairs of the telescope appear stationary with respect to the target scene. However, the longitudinal axis of the rifle bore is still prone to angular gyration with respect to the target axis. When the rifle bore is aligned with the target the condition may be sensed electronically, at which time a firing device may be actuated. An optional inhibiting circuit is provided, whereby actuation of the firing device is prevented unless a minimum pressure is applied to the trigger. The automatic firing mechanism of Philbrick et al. requires manual operation to aim the weapon at a suitable target and, where the optional inhibiting circuit is employed, to apply a minimum amount of pressure to the trigger. Furthermore, the device of Philbrick et al. will not automatically fire in response to the electromagnetic signature of a target.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,020,739 to Piotrowski et al. discloses a fire control system for increasing the hit probability on a target of a cantilevered adjustably mounted gun. The system includes a flat mirror fixed to the muzzle of the gun. A light source disposed within a gunner's periscope directs a beam of light on a movable mirror only in the absence of gun to periscope positioning errors. The reflected beam from the muzzle mirror impinges on a charge coupled detector matrix array, and provides appropriate compensatory azimuth and elevational error signals which are algebraically added to azimuth and elevational range signals produced by a ballistic computer in response to a range finder sighted on a target. The compensated azimuth and elevational signals are employed to position a movable reticle in the periscope to enable the gunner to aim the gun accurately.
None of the above references teach a device for controlled manual operation of a firearm with respect to the heart beat cycle of the firearm operator, nor a device for automatic discharge of a primed firearm in response to detection of a defined electromagnetic "signature" emitted from an appropriate target.
The above references are incorporated by reference herein where appropriate for teaching additional or alternative details, features, and/or technical background.